Leftover Meal Magic: 3 Easy Recipes
Learn how to transform common kitchen leftovers into delicious, budget-friendly meals. This guide covers making quick soups, adaptable tacos, and versatile stir-fries from ingredients you already have on hand. Reduce food waste and enjoy creative cooking.
Ingredients
- cooked chicken shredded notes:or other cooked protein
- cooked vegetables diced notes:carrots peas
- cooked rice day-old notes:for stir-fry
- canned black beans drained notes:for tacos
- canned corn drained notes:for tacos
- tortillas small notes:corn or flour
- broth vegetable or chicken notes:for soup base
- soy sauce light notes:for stir-fry
- ginger grated notes:for stir-fry
- garlic minced notes:for stir-fry
- onions diced notes:for stir-fry
- spices your choice notes:cumin chili powder for tacos
- oil cooking notes:for stir-fry
Instructions
- 1. **For Leftover Soup:** Combine leftover cooked protein (like chicken or beef), various cooked vegetables, and broth in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until all ingredients are heated through. Season with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs or spices. Serve warm. 2. **For Leftover Tacos:** Warm tortillas according to package directions. Fill each tortilla with drained black beans, drained corn, and any seasoned leftover protein (e.g., shredded chicken, ground beef). Top with your favorite taco additions such as salsa, cheese, lettuce, or sour cream. 3. **For Leftover Stir-Fry:** Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and diced onions, sautéing until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add any leftover cooked vegetables and day-old rice. Stir-fry quickly for 2-3 minutes. Incorporate any leftover cooked protein. Add a splash of soy sauce and continue to stir-fry until all ingredients are heated through and well combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
Always check the freshness of your leftovers. Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables, proteins, and spices. These are guidelines; adjust to your taste and what's available. For stir-fries, day-old rice works best as it's drier and less likely to clump.